A CONSULTANT at Furness General Hospital, who is being investigated by healthcare watchdogs, has written a ‘complimentary’ reference for a former colleague who is at risk of being struck off.

Three urological consultants at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) have been criticised by patients and families for a string of errors over the last 19 years.

Clinical errors made by Kavinder Madhra, Ashutosh Jain and Muhammad Naseem were first highlighted by whistle-blower Peter Duffy.

Complaints have continued to emerge as part of a lengthy investigation by The Mail.

Mr Madhra was suspended on at least two occasions during his time with UHMBT.

The first took place within months of the urologist starting at the trust in 2001.

In 2002 he was given a warning by the General Medical Council (GMC) but was allowed to continue working.

He continued to be paid while he spent a number of years retraining at the taxpayer’s expense and returned to Furness General Hospital in 2008.

However, concerns continued to emerge with one of the most serious almost resulting in a patient having the wrong kidney removed. In 2014, five complaints made on a single day led to him being suspended.

He was allowed to continue working until he resigned in September 2018 after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) imposed conditions on his practice.

In May last year a hearing began at the MPTS in Manchester to decide if Mr Madhra’s fitness to practice is impaired.

The tribunal went on for longer than expected and had to be adjourned until this week, when proceedings recommenced at St James’s Buildings, Manchester.

Yesterday, the panel heard Mr Jain, who is also being investigated, has submitted a character reference in support of his former colleague’s bid to continue working as a doctor.

Panel chair Julian Weinberg described the reference as ‘complimentary’ and added that Mr Madhra ‘wanted to look under the bonnet of the overall process’ which has led to the tribunal.

The hearing is also expected to hear from urology experts, including highly regarded consultant Mark Speakman, a specialist advisor to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

The GMC alleges that, following their assessment of Mr Madhra’s professional performance in May and June 2018, his professional performance was found to be unacceptable in the areas of assessment and clinical management and a cause for concern in the area of maintaining professional performance.

Mr Madhra still lives in Hawcoat and his wife is a GP in Barrow. He achieved his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Delhi in 1978.

He registered with the GMC in 1993 and was registered as a specialist in urology in 1996.

The MPTS hearing is due to reconvene tomorrow and is expected to last until January 31.